Daddona Praises City Development, Criticizes Tropiano Election 89

October 17, 1989|by TIM DARRAGH, The Morning Call

Using the bustling construction site at 2nd and Hamilton streets as a backdrop - and as a testimony to his words - Allentown Mayor Joseph S. Daddona stood up for his administration's economic development efforts and criticized mayoral challenger Emma Tropiano for having no positive role in it.

"Unlike others who simply point the finger at things that are wrong . . . our team took two blighted and abandoned properties and made them available for the development of Allentown's first state office building and the first brand new retail space built in downtown Allentown in over 50 years," the mayor said.

The tracts on both sides of 2nd and Hamilton streets have been vacant for years, since the homes and businesses on them were leveled in an urban renewal project. Daddona said both parcels could have been developed years ago, but that officials decided they would hold out for a quality development rather than accept an earlier, less satisfying offer.

"We could have developed in a less-intensive way in the past," he said.

The new state office building, which will house offices of the state Department of Labor and Industry and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, was "the secret, the anchor." The office building will provide 150 full-time jobs and serve hundreds of clients, who also will be close to downtown stores, he said.

In addition, the strip shopping center being developed on the northwest tract will provide more jobs, as well as an answer to the requests of residents from the 1st and 6th wards, he said. Surveys of the neighborhoods have shown that a demand for retail shops exists in the wards, he said.

He credited the city Redevelopment Authority's "ingenious" strategy to connect the development of the state office building with the shopping center. The authority, he noted, offered to sell the sites to developer Seymore Rubin Associates of Philadelphia for a "very reasonable price" so that the firm could make a favorable bid for the state office building.

Further, Daddona highlighted the resurgence of the B&G Station, Phoenix Square, Weinstein Supply Co. and other businesses, which he described as "flourishing."

He credited the new development as a partnership of the city, the authority, the Allentown Economic Development Corp. and the private sector.

Meanwhile, Daddona noted that Tropiano has voted against downtown redevelopment 14 times in the last two years. He repeated his belief that Tropiano has voted against the projects not as a political maneuver, but because "I don't think she understands the complexities" of the issues involved.

"The mayor is trying to win this race by trying to make me look like an ignorant female," Tropiano responded. "But he can't even get his facts straight."

She agreed she has voted 14 times against redevelopment projects, but added that she has supported similar efforts 19 times.

"Many times when I have voted no, it is against public works projects which I consider overpriced pork barrels, which many have since proven to be," she said.

"He does not seem to understand that after a total of 12 years of his administration, the city's blight, crime, drugs and prostitution have increased, while the quality of life for many Allentonians has decreased accordingly," she fired back. "Instead of addressing these issues, he appoints another committee and criticizes someone who first took these issues to the streets. My voting record has been in the best interest of the people of Allentown.

"He takes credit for everything that seems to go right, but the things that are wrong, someone else is to blame."